Wednesday, 15 October 2014

Elements To Consider When Deciding To Buy Sprinkler Timers And Controllers

By Patty Goff


Sprinkler timers and controllers come in a wide range of models and make, making it necessary to take some time during the purchase process. It is particularly crucial to opt for your timer based on the size dimension of the sprinkler system together with any specific landscape requirements. In an effort to help you select the best appliance, this article takes you through the most pertinent aspects when looking forward to buy sprinkler timers and controllers.

To begin with, be sure to implore the aspect of the location. The controllers are available in both indoor and outdoor models. Be noted that indoor ones are not weather resistant, thus, be sure not to buy them for outside installation. They are designed to be plugged directly into a 110V outlet. They include an external transformer as part of the plug-in cord which converts the standard 110 outlet volts to the 18V needed for the timer. The indoor timers are typically mounted in garages, sheds, closets, pump houses and covered patio.

It is also relevant to bench mark the successful users. Before opting for a particular timer and controller, ensure to refer from those who are already using so as to get to know about their merits and shortcomings. Ask about the performance and level of reliability and the cost of running and maintaining the appliance. Collect information about many models and make and evaluate them to reach a suitable conclusion and choice of equipment.

In addition, seek expert advice. After consulting the experienced users about the issue, go a step further to seeking expert advice. This will enable you to have a bargaining power by knowing the terms used and the features to look for in the selection. Share with the person about the use to which you are going to put the device and let him or her suggest for you the most suitable brand and make for your needs. However, ensure that the person is an independent expert.

The other feature to examine is the program. Sprinkler types usually have between 1 to 4 programs. The programs are normally labeled as program A, B, C and D. However, most timers contain at least two programs. A program is simply a set of watering instructions for stations which will run on the same days. The number of stations you wish to have running on separate schedules will determine the number of programs you will need. The more the stations, the more the programs required.

Plug-ins come handy for indoor and outdoor applications, particularly when you only require one lamp and do not want to rewire your wall switches. Such devices include the indoor plug-in-timers, digital and mechanical ones. Make sure that you examine the inherent features when procuring for the commodities.

Consider also the inclusion of memory as a feature. In case you reside in an area that is faced with power outages and brownouts, then battery back-up is highly recommended. In addition, non-volatile memory that will store programming indefinitely without power will also come handy for you.

Finally, it goes a long way in selecting equipment with a rain sensor. A rain sensor is a great water conserving feature that suspends watering by detecting precipitation.




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